Latching and locking means for luggage cases or the like



C. S. GEHRIE Aug. 19, 1969 LATCHING AND LOCKING MEANS FOR LUGGAGE CASES 0R THE LIKE Filed Sept. 13, 1967 2 sheets-sheet 1 Glatt.;

CHARLES 5. GEHPJE.

NrTomgnY Aug. 19, 1969 c. s. GEHRIE 3,461,697r

LATCHING AND LOCKING MEANS FOR LUGGAGE CASES OR THE LIKE Filed Sept. 13. 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. FME] 9 CHARLES SG1-:Hama

United States Patent O mce 3,461,697 LATCHING AND LOCKING MEANS FOR LUGGAGE CASES R THE LIKE Charles S. Gehrie, Montclair, NJ., assignor to Presto Lock Co., Inc., Gartield, NJ., a corporation of New York Filed Sept. 13, 1967, Ser. No. 667,599 Int. Cl. EtSb 65/52; A45c 13/10 U.S. Cl. 70--71 10 Claims ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE Latching and locking devices are disclosed in which a cantilever cover plate supports and houses the other parts of the device, including a pivoting latching member, bottom plate, key barrel, and locking bolt. A cooperating hasp is received within a hasp-aligning recess of the cover plate and concealed by the cover plate. The hasp is engaged by a hook portion of the latching member which draws the latching device and the hasp together. The latching member is actuated by wing portions which project from beneath the cover plate and is maintained in latched and unlatched positions by a detent.

This invention relates to latching and locking devices for luggage cases or the like and is more particularly concerned with devices having a pivoting latching member and a cooperating hasp mounted upon respective wall members of a luggage case.

It has heretofore been proposed, as disclosed in Thiele 2,399,302 granted Apr. 30, 1946, to provide a latching and locking device for a luggage case in which a pivoting latching member is supported upon one wall member of the case and a cooperating hasp is supported upon another Wall member of the case. This prior art structure is considered unduly complex, and further, it is not aesthetic appealing.

It is accordingly a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved latching and locking device for a luggage case or the like in which the parts of the device are minimal in number and are easily manufactured and assembled.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this type which has an attractive appearance, and in which a cover plate serves to support and conceal other parts of the device and to conceal the hasp when the wall members are brought together.

Another object of the invention is to provide a latching and locking device of this type in which the housing can be made very thin and in one piece, so that the device readily blends with the usual Valances at the periphery of luggage case wall members and does not detract from the appearance of the case.

The foregoing and other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will become more readily apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a preferred and exemplary embodiment, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a latching and locking device of the invention illustrating the manner in which the hasp (shown in dash lines) is shielded;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan View (inverted left to right from FIG. 1) showing the manner in which the latching device engages the hasp;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view similar to FIG. 2, but with the bottom plate removed for clarity in illustration; this View showing the position of the latching member when disengaged from the hasp;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken approximately p 3,461,697 Patented Aug. 19, 1969 in the planes of line 4--4 of FIG. l, this view illustrating the relationship between the cover plate, key barrel, locking bolt, latching member and bottom plate;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional View taken approximately in the planes of line 5 5 of FIG. l, this view showing the manner in which the cover plate is supported as a cantilever and overlies the hasp when the latching device and hasp are connected to the wall members of a luggage case or the like;

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken approximately in the plane of line 6 6 of FIG. 2, this view illustrating the indexing or detent means;

FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the cover plate and associated locking means;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the latching member; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a hasp which may be employed.

Generally, a latching device in accordance with the invention comprises a cover plate having means for mounting the plate upon a wall member of a luggage case or the like. Preferably, the mounting means is located at one side of the plate so that the plate may be mounted as a cantilever. Also, it is preferred that the cover plate be formed to provide a shielded recess which receives and guides a hasp when the respective wall members of the luggage case or the like are brought together. The haspreceiving recess is located at the side of the plate opposite the side where the plate mounting means is located.

A latching plate is pivotally supported beneath the cover plate preferably by a pivot pin formed integral with and extending from the underside `of the cover plate and cooperable with means provided by the latching plate. The latching plate or member has hasp-engaging means for drawing the wall members together to which the latching device and hasp are respectively connected. The hasp-engaging means of the latching plate is located near the edge of the cover plate at one side thereof, that is, the side where the hasp-receiving recess is located. The latching plate is dimensionally and pivotally related to the cover plate so that a portion of the latching plate at a side other than the side where the hasp-engaging means is located projects beyond the edge of the cover plate and provides a finger-engaging portion to enable rotating the latching plate to respective hasp-engaging and hasp-disengaged positions. Preferably, the latching plate is provided with finger-engaging Wing portions at the side thereof opposite the side of the plates haspengaging means. A bottom plate is supported by the cover plate beneath the latching plate. Preferably, the bottom plate is cooperably related to the latching plate to provide stops to limit the rotation of the latching plate.

Referring to the drawings, a latching device A and a hasp B are adapted for association with respective wall members C and D (FIG. 5) of a luggage case or the like, which are brought together when the case is closed. The peripheral edges of the wall members may be provided with conventional valence strips E and F, and the walls of the luggage case may be formed of any of the conventional materials employed for this purpose such as aluminum, molded plastic material, molded resin impregnated materials, thermoformed plastic compositions, leather or leather-like materials.

The latching device A comprises a cover or top plate 10 which preferably is a die casting, and which, as will be apparent hereinafter, constitutes a thin one-piece housing. The cover plate has mounting means, such as integral connecting studs 12 for supporting the cover plate as a cantilever upon the wall member C adjacent its peripheral edge or the associated valance E. In the form shown, the cover plate 10 is generally rectangular, and the studs 12 are provided at opposite corners of the plate adjacent to one side thereof. The studs may be expanded to form heads after being inserted in corresponding openings in the wall member C. As shown in FIG. 5, when so mounted upon the wall member C, the cover plate is slightly elevated above the outer surface of the wall member and projects beyond the peripheral edge upon which the valance strip E is mounted. Also, the connecting studs 12 are so located that they may be extended through openings in the valance strip E to trap the strip to the wall member. At the side of the cover plate opposite to the connecting studs 12, the cover plate has a shielded recess 14 for receiving the hasp B when the wall members C and D are brought together.

FIG. 9 illustrates a preferred form of hasp B which may be employed for cooperation with the latching device of the invention. The hasp, which preferably is formed as a die casting, has end portions 16 which may have bores 18 for receiving rivets 20 (FIG. 5) for mounting the hasp upon wall member D adjacent to its peripheral edge or through the valance F. Recesses 21 receive the heads of the rivets. The central portion of the hasp has a top wall 22, a side wall 24, and a latch abutment 26 which depends from an edge of the top wall 22 in spaced relation to side wall 24. Thus, a hasp-engaging portion of a latching member may be inserted between abutment 26 and side wall 24 through either of the openings dened 'by end portions 16 and the abutment 26. Although a single opening will suffice, it is preferred to provide two such openings so that the same hasp may be ernployed for lefthand or righthand latching members.

Returning to the latching device A, a latching member 28 is pivotally supported on and beneath the cover plate 10. In the form shown, the latching member is a plate having a central opening 30 which provides a bearing to receive an integral boss 32 extending from the underside of the cover plate and is thus supported for pivotal movement in a plane substantially parallel to the major plane of the cover plate. A bottom plate or frame 34 is also supported by the cover plate, preferably by means of longitudinally spaced, integral connecting studs 36 and 38, as shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 7, and by the central boss 32, all of which may constitute connecting studs or rivets expanded at their ends to retain the associated parts.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 7, the cover plate 10 has depending flanges 40 on opposite sides which, together with the plate, conceal the parts supported by the cover plate, except for a pair of exposed wing portions 42 and 44 of the latching member. The wing portions project through an opening in a longitudinal side between the mounting studs 12. The wing portions, which are obtusely angulated relative to each other, have a depending peripheral ange 46 terminating in ends 48 and 50 engageable with corresponding edge portions of the bottom plate 34 to limit the pivotal movement of the latching member. FIG. 2 shows the engagement of flange end 48 with a corresponding edge portion of the bottom plate.

The latching member 28 and the bottom plate 34 are provided with cooperable means for indexing the latching member. As shown inverted in FIG. 6, the bottom plate 34 is provided with a detent 51 and a pair of spaced openings or recesses 52 are formed in the latching member. When the detent 51 enters a recess 52, the latching member is held in one of its extreme pivotal positions but may be readily turned to its alternate position by applying finger pressure to one of the wing portions 42 or 44 to overcome the resistance of the detent. When the latching member and the bottom plate are assembled with the cover plate, suicient pressure is exerted between the latching member and the bottom plate to provide the indexing action and to exert some detent pressure upon the latching member even when the detent is not engaged with a recess in order to provide smooth controlled movement of the latching member.

At the side of the latching member opposite to the wing portions 42 and 44, and on the opposite side of the pivotal axis of the latching member, a hook-shaped haspengaging means S4 is provided as an integral portion lof the latching member plate. The hook member 54 is bent slightly out of the major plane of the latching member, away from the cover plate (FIG. 8). It has smoothly curved nose surfaces which serve as a cam engageable behind the latch abutment 26 of the hasp to exert pressure upon the latch abutment and draw the wall members of the luggage case together `when mounted thereon. As shown in FIG. 2, this action is due to the configuration of the hook member, which pulls the hasp abutment 26 toward the pivotal axis of the latching member as the hook member S4 engages the abutment and the pivotal movement is continued slightly. In order to ensure proper alignment of the hasp with the latching device, the recess 14 of the cover plate has a smooth female taper which complements the smooth male taper of the end portions 16 of the hasp, thereby serving to guide the hasp into position for proper engagement of the hook member 54 with the abutment 26. From FIGS. 2 and 3, it is apparent that in the hasp-engaging position of the latching member, the wing portions 42 and 44 project symmetrically from beneath the cover plate, whereas in haspdisengaged position essentially only one wing is projected, thereby inviting actuation of the latching member toward hasp-engaging position.

In order to maintain the latching member engaged with the hasp, a suitable locking means is provided. In the form shown, the locking means comprises a cylindrical key barrel 56, a flat spring-type locking bolt 58, and a blocking lug 60 projecting from the latching member 28. The key barrel is mounted in a corresponding opening in the cover plate 1? from below and has a rim portion 57 (FIG. 4) which is too large to pass through the bore. The key barrel is supported upon the locking bolt 58 and upon an arcuate boss 62 (FIG. 8) of the latching member. The latching member has a hole 64 which is aligned with a hole 66 of the bottom plate and the slot of the key barrel when the latching member is engaged with the hasp. A key may then be inserted into the key barrel and turned to engage a notch of the locking bolt and cause the bolt to reciprocate, as is well known in the art. FIG. 2 illustrates the locked position of the locking bolt, in which it interferes with the blocking lug 60 and prevents pivotal movement of the latching member from the hasp-engaging position. FIG. 3 illustrates the unlocked position of the bolt, in which the blocking lug is free of the bolt. The lock bolt is guided by integral lugs 68, 70, 71 and 72 on the underside of the cover plate. Lug 72 also engages notches of the locking bolt and serves to index the bolt, which is retained in position by virtue of ifs inherent resilience. Lug 71 constitutes a wall of recess 14 and has an opening 73 through which hook member 54- may project into the recess.

It will thus be observed that the entire latching device is supported by the mounting means of the cover plate. The cover plate forms a thin one-piece cantilever housing which overlies and conceals the hasp as well as other parts of the latching device. The latching device consists of only three separate pieces: the cover plate, the latching member, and the bottom plate. For locking purposes, the key barrel and the locking bolt are added. Separate indexing devices for the latching member are not required, and the key barrel is readily supported without any separate supporting parts. The latching and locking device of the invention is thus exceptionally simple to manufacture and install and has the additional benefit of attractive appearance, readily blending with other components of a luggage case or the like.

The advantages and improved results afforded by the invention are believed to be apparent from the foregoing detailed description of a preferred embodiment. It will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A latching device for luggage or the like having wall members and cooperable with a hasp, the device comprising a cover plate having means adjacent to one side only of the plate for mounting the plate upon a wall member as a cantilever, and a latching member pivotally supported by and beneath the cover plate, the latching member having hasp-engaging means and having a pair of Wing portions constituting exposed finger-engageable means adapted to be moved in opposite directions corresponding to hasp-engaging and disengaging pivotal movement of the latching member, the wing portions being obtusely angulated with respect to each other and projecting Substantially equally from beneath the cover plate when the latching member is in hasp-engaging position.

2. A latching device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the cover plate has means forming a shielded recess beneath the plate at the side opposite to said mounting means for receiving and guiding a hasp.

3. A latching device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the cover plate has an integral depending boss and the latching member has a bearing opening for receiving said boss and providing the pivotal support for the latching member.

4. A latching device as set forth in claim 1, including a bottom plate beneath the latching member connected to the cover plate.

5. A latching device as set forth in claim 4, wherein the latching member comprises a plate having depending tlange means engageable with edge portions of the bottom plate for limiting the pivotal movement of the latching member.

6. A latching device as set forth in claim 1, including locking means comprising a key barrel rotatably supported upon the cover plate and a locking bolt supported on and beneath the cover plate for movement between locked and unlocked positions by a key, the latching member having blocking means for engaging the locking bolt in locked position to prevent pivotal movement of the latching member from its hasp-engaging position.

7. A latching device for a luggage case or the like having wall members and cooperable with a hasp, the

latching device comprising a cover plate having means adjacent to one side only of the cover plate for mounting the cover plate upon a wall member as a cantilever, a latching plate pivotally supported beneath the cover plate whereby the latching plate may be rotated in a plane parallel to the plane of the cover plate the latching plate having hasp-engaging means near the edge of the cover plate at one side thereof, the latching plate having a pair of wing portions constituting a finger-engaging means extending beyond the edge of the cover plate at another side thereof to enable rotating the latching plate to respective hasp-engaging and hasp-disengaged positions, the wing portions being obtusely angulated with respect to each other and projecting substantially equally from beneath the cover plate when the latching plate is in hasp-engaging position, and a bottom plate beneath the latching plate connected to the cover plate.

8. A latching device as set forth in. claim 7, wherein the wing portions have depending flanges, and the bottom plate has edge portions engaged by the flanges alternately for limiting the pivotal movement of the latching plate.

9. A latching device as set forth in claim 8, wherein the bottom plate and the latching plate have cooperable indexing means for releasably holding the latching plate in respective hasp-engaging and hasp-disengaged positions.

10. A latching device as set forth in claim 9, wherein the indexing means comprises a detent on the bottom plate and a pair of spaced recesses in the latching plate.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,186,197 6/1965 Gehrie 70-71 3,371,511 3/ 1968 Atkinson 70-71 FOREIGN PATENTS 349,123 6/ 1937 Italy. 1,382,308 11/1964 France.

RICHARD E. MOORE, Primary Examiner ROBERT L. WOLFE, Assistant Examiner 

